Matsuri
Matsuri (マツリ) is a genin-level kunoichi from Sunagakure. Background Some time before the series start, she saw her parents got kill right before her eyes. Ever since then, she has had a fear to use weapons in battle. Personality In the anime, Matsuri is shown in more depth. She was initially a shy and very soft-spoken girl, but becomes braver and more outspoken under Gaara's tutelage. She remains polite to others, using the proper Japanese honourifics. While Matsuri is reluctant to use weapons in Part I, she has fewer inhibitions by the start of Part II; she will use weapons to protect her comrades and Sunagakure's reputation, but will avoid causing harm to others. In the manga, Matsuri is shown simply as a reverent admirer of Gaara or any other powerful ninja. It is also hinted that she has romantic interests in Gaara. This is also shown in her quickness to compliment him and insult others who suggest he could be defeated. Matsuri is also is shown during the Fourth Shinobi War. During the Fourth Shinobi War arc shownin the anime, she has great admiration for Uzumaki Naruto, in this case always refer to him as the "hero of Konoha". Appearance Matsuri has medium length brown hair, dark eyes and fair skin. In Part I, she wore a blue-green blouse that hung off her left shoulder, a white and pink sleeveless shirt underneath, a short yellow scarf tied around her neck and a black short skirt. She also wore long, thigh-high stockings, brown sandals and black gloves with a grey elbow-length arm guard on her right arm. In Part II, she wears a dark shirt with skirt of the same colour, a Sunagakure flak jacket and a black forehead protector where her scarf was. She still wears black gloves and stockings but now wears two arm-guards instead of one. Abilities In the anime, she learned to use the jōhyō, a weapon mainly used to keep the enemy away with the short dart attached to a long rope. She was also chosen to fight in the Fourth Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces, although still being a genin. Matsuri appears to have some skill in Wind Release techniques, having joined other Wind Release users ,such as Uzumaki Naruto and Temari to battle the reicarnated Third Raikage. However, Temari states she isn't a long-distance user. Naruto (Part l) Pre Shippuuden Filler arc Matsuri made her début in the final arc of the anime. She was a student of Suna's new ninja academy. At the beginning of the weapon-handling lesson, Matsuri asked if weapons are just dangerous. While the class and the teachers pondered the question, Gaara replied suddenly with, "Your weapon is like…" and made Matsuri think that Gaara was trying to tell her something. Therefore she was the only person out of the entire class brave enough to choose Gaara to be her teacher. Gaara, sensing her hesitation and inhibitions, taught her how to use a Jōhyō, but she was fearful of it and other weapons because she had witnessed her parents' murders in the past. Gaara tried to tell her that weapons can be used to protect comrades, but Matsuri didn't understand him at first. Later, the Four Celestial Symbols Men kidnapped Matsuri, because of her importance to Gaara, trying to lure him out, capture him, and steal the One-Tailed Shukaku's chakra stored within him. Gaara, his siblings, and the Konoha 11 (excluding Tenten) came to her aid, and fought her captors. After being freed, she saved Uzumaki Naruto from a fatal attack from Seimei using her Jōhyō, after finally realising that weapons can be used to protect comrades. After Seimei's defeat, she returned to Suna with Gaara,Kankuro, and Temari. But before she left, she asked Shikamaru to tell Naruto that he had finally made her understand what Gaara had been trying to tell her, and that she would continue to train as Gaara's student. Matsuri also found out along with The Sand Siblings, that Naruto is Master Jiraiya's student. Naruto Shippuuden (Part ll) Kazekage Rescue arc In the anime, after Gaara is kidnapped by Akatsuki, Matsuri is assigned to a team led by Temari. When they start doing border patrol, Matsuri complains that they should be trying to rescue Gaara instead. Later, in her first manga appearance, Matsuri is present when Gaara is revived. She is one of the first people he speaks to when he wakes up. She becomes angry with Ittetsu when he voices his fears that Gaara had died, and then she and Sari gush over him. They rush towards Gaara, pushing Naruto out of the way.Temari is later seen standing between the girls and her little brother with her arms straight out, probably insisting that Gaara needs some breathing space. She,Team Kakashi,Team Guy,along with Suna return the revivied Gaara back to the village. So this way he can continue to be Kazekage. This is probably the first time that Matsuri met Tenten. Seeing that she met all the other Konoha 11 members except for her, Uchiha Sasuke,and Sai. Sasuke & Sai arc She made a cameo appearance in the anime, in which she appeared in Naruto's dream when he is seen peeping into the female bathhouse where Sakura and other female characters from the series were gathered to take a bath. Five Kage Summit arc Matsuri was seen in the crowd, next to Ebizo and Baki, telling Gaara to be careful as he left for the Kage Summit. Fourth Shinobi War arc In the anime, Matsuri is seen alongside Yukata and a few other Sunagakure shinobi, gushing over Gaara after he unites the troops with his speech. Later, she is seen with Temari,Shikamaru,Choji, and Yukata discussing about the topic of kekkei tōta. Soon, she is seen with Yukata, lending towels to Gaara, telling him that he must conserve his strength. Wanting to show kindness to the older kage, he tells them to give them to Ōnoki before him. They did not recognise him at first, which irritated the Tsuchikage, and were surprised when he told them who he was. The next day, the Fourth Division makes their move on the reincarnated Kage and Matsuri and Yukata join other Wind Release users in subduing the Third Raikage. Matsuri asks Temari their next move after Naruto could not damage the Raikage. Yukata asks who Naruto is and Matsuri explains he is the hero of Konoha who defeated the Akatsuki leader Pain. Annoyed with their discussions, Temari orders the two kunoichi to keep their distance. After the Raikage was defeated by Naruto, she and Yukata carried a protesting Ōnoki to the medical tents. Later, when Temari fights with Daimaru, she and Yukata gush over his confession, and then tease Temari about her crush on Nara Shikamaru. Film Appearances Naruto Shippuuden movie 3 Matsuri appears in Gaara's thoughts along with several other villagers, including his siblings and Sari, when he thinks of the members of Suna, stating that his villagers lives now 'belong to him' and he considers it his duty to protect them. Relationships Uzumaki Naruto Haruno Sakura Uchiha Sasuke Sai Hatake Kakashi Nara Shikamaru Akimichi Choji Yamanaka Ino Hyuga Hinata Aburame Shino Inuzuka Kiba Hyuga Neji Rock Lee Tenten Gaara Temari Kankuro Sari Yukata Baki Ebizo Knownable Relatives *Unnamed Mother (Dead) *Unnamed Father (Dead) *Uzumaki Naruto (Surrogate Older Brother/best friend) *Haruno Sakura (Surrogate Older Sister) *Gaara (Sensei) *Temari (Surrogate Older Sister) *Kankuro (Friend/ally) *Yamanaka Ino (Friend/ally) *Nara Shikamaru (Friend/ally) *Akimichi Choji (Friend/ally) *Hyuga Hinata (Friend/ally) *Aburame Shino (Friend/ally0 *Inuzuka Kiba (Friend/ally) *Hyuga Neji (Friend/ally0 *Rock Lee (Friend/ally) *Tenten (Friend/ally) *Sari (# 1 Rival) Trivia *Matsuri's name can mean festival (祭) or Arabian Jasmine (茉莉). *A kunoichi resembling Matsuri made an appearance in Naruto Shippuuden Ultimate Ninja 4, walking around the Save point outside of Suna, although her shirt was red. *In Naruto Shippuuden movie lll, Matsuri appears in Gaara's thoughts along with several other villagers, including his siblings and Sari, when he thinks of the members of Suna, stating that his villagers lives now 'belong to him' and he considers it his duty to protect them. *During the Fourth Shinobi War arc in the manga, Matsuri is not present among the Fourth Division as it is seemingly comprised of shinobi chūnin rank and above. *She bears a striking resembles to Gaara's late mother. *She has not met Uchiha Sasuke or Sai yet in the anime. *It's possible that sees Sari and Yukata as her rivals for Gaara's attention. *It's possible that she met Hatake Kakashi, Gai and Tenten after the Kazekage Rescue arc. Matsuri shares a similaritie with Tenten. *Both only use ninja tools in their battles. Voice Actresses *'Japanese' : Maaya Sakamoto (Part l & Part ll) *'''English : '''Laura Jill Miller (Part l), Michelle Ruff (Kazekage Rescue arc - Sasuke and Sai ar in Part ll), Laura Bailey (Five Kage Summit arc in Part ll) all information on Matsuri is from http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Matsuri Gallery Category:Characters Category:Females